From my perspective as a daylily plant, I need to reach a certain level of maturity before I can even think about flowering. If I was grown from seed, I am simply putting all my energy into building a strong root system and leaf mass. It's a survival strategy; I must be robust before I can dedicate resources to reproduction (blooming). Even if I am a division from a mature plant, it takes me a season or two to recover from the shock of being divided and re-establish myself in a new location. Conversely, if I have been in the same spot for many years, I may have become severely overcrowded. My underground structures, the roots and fans, are competing fiercely for water and nutrients. There is simply not enough to go around to support the immense energy demand of creating flower scapes. I need space to breathe and grow.
Sunlight is my food. It is the fundamental ingredient for photosynthesis, the process that creates the energy I need to live and bloom. The instruction "full sun" is not a vague suggestion; it is a biological requirement for most of my kind. If I am planted in too much shade, perhaps because a tree has grown and now casts a shadow, I am literally starving. I will focus my limited energy on producing just enough leaves to stay alive. Blooming becomes a luxury I cannot afford. I need a minimum of six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day to produce the surplus sugars required to form flower buds. Less than that, and my blooming mechanism simply shuts down.
My roots are my mouth, and the soil is my dinner plate. If the meal is poorly balanced, I cannot thrive. An excess of nitrogen, often from over-fertilizing with a lawn fertilizer or in overly rich soil, tells my system one thing: "Grow leaves!" I will respond by producing an abundance of beautiful, lush, green foliage at the expense of flowers. What I really need for blooming is a more balanced diet, specifically one with a higher ratio of phosphorus (the middle number in fertilizer formulas, like 5-10-5). Phosphorus is crucial for root development and, most importantly, for flower formation. Alternatively, if the soil is poor and compacted, I might not be getting any nutrients at all, leaving me too weak to bloom.
Environmental stress is a major signal for me to conserve energy. If I experience drought, especially in the spring when I am forming my flower buds (scapes), I will abort the process. Creating flowers requires a tremendous amount of water, and if it is not available, I must prioritize survival. The buds may simply dry up and turn brown before they ever open. Similarly, a late spring frost can be devastating. The tender, emerging flower scapes are highly susceptible to cold damage. If they are frozen, that is the end of my blooming show for the year. Even improper planting can cause stress; if my crown (the point where my roots meet my leaves) is buried too deep, it can lead to rot and a general failure to prosper, including a failure to bloom.
Finally, you must consider that it might be inherent to my specific variety. While most daylilies are reliable bloomers, some cultivars are simply less prolific. I might be what is known as a "rebloomer," programmed to flower heavily in early summer and then put out a second, lighter flush of blooms later. If the conditions are not absolutely perfect—ideal light, moisture, and nutrients—I may skip that second bloom cycle. In rare cases, a particular cultivar might just be a shy bloomer in your specific climate, no matter how perfectly you care for me.
